KAYLENE: The sad truth. A little in my opinion...

It has been ridiculously busy for me as we have been shorthanded (temporary) The moment I touched down from the airport, I rushed to shop to fix up my new mannequins (love love love them) and tried on the bras. Was very impressed with the quality of the bras as they are in my opinion very comfortable and didnt bite into my flesh. I didnt really think so much about issues on ladies looking for plus size bras until I personally served the girls and they told me many awful stories about the bra hunt in the regular shops.

To be brutally honest, I have stopped looking at bras in Singapore or even Asia for a looong looong time. When I was in London a few years back, I stocked up on bras and sports bras and shortly after I had two opportunities to travel to USA and I stocked up even more bras then. I had enough bras to last me for a good two years. So it was really to my horror when I started selling these bras to the customers when they tell me about their horrid experience in buying bras in Singapore or Asia. How did this topic was even raised up during our conversation? You will be surprised....

It started really simple and innocent when MOST CUSTOMERS that walked in were looking for 90DD or 90DDD bras. I was so puzzled that HOW was it possible that all these pretty girls has a 90 band when I am a 90 band? My ribcage is really small compared to most of my customers and I was scratching my head when I looked closer. It then was revealed that because in the market, only 90 bands are available if not rare. 95 bands are the rarest of the rare and one even told me that the bras hurt so much till they have bruises on the side. She showed me the permanent scaring from wearing these terrible bras and I was mortified. I was upset to know that the salesgirls in departmental stores often sell them wrong size and conveniently tell them to put on extensions to fit the 'babies'. I was told that she has to put 2 extensions instead because it was simply near impossible to find her size. My heart bled and blamed myself for not bringing in such a NEED item into the shop any earlier. Well, to be fair to me, I did go on a hunt for good bra suppliers for our girls. But I was extremely picky. This 'picky attitude' took my 3 years of search until I met Miss Dora. God has been so kind for me to know her and today the bras have reached the shop and I can cater to these desperate girls.

I now am proud to say that KAYLENE has launched bras for the plus size girls. And I am proud to say that these bras are comfortable and fits each body well. Tonight, despite the pain on my back and a stress ulcer developed in  my throat, I am VERY PROUD to own KAYLENE, very proud that I can service to these girls, a need item that they have been discounted for. (let me emo for a while, fatigue seeping in)

For those who are curious on why I am so proud of these bras, you gotta come down to shop to try it and to judge it for yourself! I have done a banner on guides to how to get the measurement (yeah, NO MORE 90DD or 90DDD hor)

Weeeeeekend is here! Enjoy!

Love
K

Fashion: Of Whonder

Oh Whonder Whonder! (did it deliberate)

Chanced this new designer label for plus size during one of the article reads. Of Whonder is a founded by Miss Carmencita and seems quite new to the industry unlike Lane Bryant with very strong history backed up. For this first collection, their focus and selling point will be the choice of fabrics, textures and the clean straight lines making each unique. I love the idea that the items are cut and sewn in New York, and their first collection is actually a capsule collection! I have dreamed of doing a capsule collection but not now.. KAYLENE is not ready to do a capsule collection consisting of 15 classic pieces. One day we will! One day!


Their styles are very clean and straight forward and somehow I feel that each item screams 'Power Up Girls!' to me. The styles if you ask me does exudes this sophisticated edge to the plus size girls. The end result is very clear and strong. Love love love.

My personal favourite? Definitely the Assymetric Top. I zoomed in to see the complexity of this lovely blouse. Unless I have a high budget to make this blouse, I dont think any regular factory can execute similar piece like this. Just purely by looking at the workmanship, I think their pricing is pretty justified. Will KAYLENE be ever able to reach similar standard and respect from the plus size industry? I sure hope soooooo.....

Have a good day ahead!

an old picture with Whitney Thompson, pretty isnt she!

Fashion: Isabel Toledo X Lane Bryant

After much careful thought and discussion, I think it is time for me to introduce more plus size designer brands so that you girls have more option to having beautiful clothes. The articles I contribute I hope, will be unbiased and fair to each designer.Today I will talk about

Isabel Toledo X Lane Bryant

As mentioned in previous post on me reading up approx 60 articles weekly related to plus size fashion, I recently read an article on a collaboration of Isabel Toledo and Lane Bryant. Prior to reading this, I also saw alot of up and coming designers making plus size more 'upmarket-ish' and lo and behold, I am very intrigued and inspired by their designs. I love the idea that the industry are starting to understand that WE PLUS SIZE girls have the earning power and equal immaculate taste for fashion and not limited to drapey and ill cutting apparels. I am so excited and see some light on the future of designers for plus size.

About Isabel Toledo

My thoughts of the collection...

L.O.V.E yo! Its very classy and sleek. Chic yet girly. Wah~~ the next time I get to USA (I dont like buying online) I hope I will have a change to buy a piece of her clothing. Designers should support each other yo! My personal favourite is the Embriodered Eyelet Long Jacket and Necklace Tee I nearly fainted when I saw the Necklace Tee. A couple of month ago, I wanted to design a necklace tee that LOOK LIKE THAT for an upcoming collection. I had to put on hold as the fabric chosen wasnt suitable and I had to scrap this design. An irony, to my horror and delight, I was surprised tt a design so similar to mine had been done faster than me and delight that from a designers point of view I am pretty much 'on the right track' Mine design is alot more colourful though, with K instead of LB (Lane Bryant) BUMMER! but then again I am very happy. Really glad that I am thinking more like a designer now than just a retailer. Woohoo! There are alot more super duper pretty items I love but they are not available in their first launch, so for those who are in love with their items, may have to wait till later date for their 2nd launch.

They had a launch and fashion show a couple nights ago and it seemed like a success! Congratulations Lane Bryant! Hope to see you girlies again in New York and have a great catching up!

Till the next article! 

Love

K

KAYLENE: More Sneaks for this weekend

My first attempt to blog using my phone! I am really an IT eediot and hates anything that has small screen. A pity that I left my lappie at home and I just am too excited and wants to show you girls the new designs! Shan't 'talk' much, pictures more important I guess...

Here is what to expect for the weekend!

Have a great weekend! 

Love:

K

MUST BUY MAKE UP 'STUFF'

 HAPPY FRIDAY!

I am not a beauty junkie and I know nothing about make up. But I recently tried these few products I really felt the need to spread these good items to you. I got them at Sephora and hopefully can encourgae you girls to start putting on makeup at ease. 

 


 About Make Up Forever Sens' Eyes - Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser:

This was also a 'by chance' moment purchase when I was queuing for payment. I always thought that Make Up Forever products are pretty cool and been using a couple of their products and never has complains. So when I saw this cute little trial bottle, I tot of giving it a try. The result is amazing lor! On my usual make up routine, I tend to put on eyeshadow, eyeliner and eyelash glue for my falsies to be up on my lids whole day. The problem with good eyeliners and glue is that they are tough to remove at the end of the day. The glue gunk is the hardest if you ask me and this product removed it very easily. This product did sting me a little on my first trial but hahah I found out it was because I didnt close my eyes fully. This remover is by far the best of the best that I have used. Thuuuumbs up!

About Stila Cosmetics Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner:

Let me just show yo a review that says it all.
"This eyeliner is literally the best beauty product that I've ever used. I never used to wear eyeliner during the day because it would wear off onto my eyelids after an hour. I've worn this eyeliner for 12 hours and it hasn't budged! My eyelids get really oily throughout the day and this eyeliner doesn't rub off! It's easy to apply and it's great to make a thin line. It's also fast drying! I can't believe how great this product is. It's definitely worth the money!"

I got to know this eyeline from my make up guru, Prissy Boh. She is a make up fanatic and I always hear her telling me about stocking up on this eyeliner. I couldnt resist and decided that for the past X donkey years, I have problem finding the perfect eyeliner. If Prissy says it is good, its gotta BE GOOD. Lo and Behold! IT.IS.REALLY.GOOOOOD. It stays on my oily lids for a good 10 hours or more! Perfecto!  

 

About Sephora brand Triple Action Cleansing Water:

I am not a beauty fanatic, chaned this when I was in queue to make payments for my above mentioned Stila. I am really lazy when it comes to make up and therefore when it states there 'Triple Action' I was like hmm, Triple le! lets give it a shot. I only bought the travel pack size (for now) because I am someone who hates to waste. I tried it when I got home and Bam! I was so glad that I bought it. Then I went online to ask 'Lord Google' and realised that there were many people raving about this product. I didnt get the time to do an intensive research on this product and yeah it was good for me to confirm that I got a great purchase for this product. I love it that it dosnt dry my skin and it picks up my foundation even though I put my foundation very lightly (I dont like to pile on thick foundation)

The rest of the products shown in the picture I have actually blogged about it before. Naked Eye Palette by Urban Decay (I dont use other brands anymore because they always cheat my feelings) The pigmentation and the intensity of the colours is so cool. They have various palettes and you can always choose which suits you best. I am very boring to start off and I will just stick to my pearl, gold, brown, white, black, khol kinda combi. The other one is actually a make up eraser. I love it and its another wonderful invention. Have you EVER experienced putting on eye makeup like liners or mascara and you suddenly wanna sneeze? Ahhhhhh chooooo and tadah! your eyes has this smudge from the freshly applied product. Dang right??? This eraser I always use whenever I need serious help. A little tip though, REMEBER to clean the tip every use. If not you will get the previous stains onto your face again!

Okay! I am done with this post! Have uber fantastic day ahead! Go have fun with make up at ease now okay?

Oh btw: These make up items are all trial bottles or travel pack. You can cut cost down by buying these travel pack. Try it!

 I am Kayde and I am a plus size blogger

Blog: Well written article!

Was doing my usual round of my reading on various bloggers from all over the world. ( I have more than 50 bloggers and more than 10 fashion websites I visit weekly) I found a really interesting article written by Shay. The header was really intriguing hence I decided to take a closer look on what Shay wished to tell us. The title of the blog was 'Open Letter to Plus Size Women; Stop Complaining About Price'. Well, the title was jackpot! As a indie designer/retailer in this plus size industry, I was OFTEN compared to the petite clothing range and commented how can plus size be so expensive when it is just 2 pieces of cloth and 1 button sewn together. Times like this, I will smile and lay low on my comments. I find it hard to explain to them when their ears have already blocked shut. This is one of the downs in service line and I have learnt not to take things too hard.

This article is about Shay 'defending' plus size designers on their pricing and consumers wanting quality clothings but refuse to pay the price.Her logic on pricing and designer pieces were spot on and yeah, I love it when she mentioned respecting the others who will pay items from Target (like our Giant or Carrefour in the US) instead of purchasing designer pieces. Well said Shay! You as consumer has spoken up for the designers who did work hard to give the best to the consumers!

To read up more on the blog, kindly go to 

http://www.athickgirlscloset.com/2014/03/open-letter-to-plus-size-women-stop.html

I am Kayde and I am a plus size blogger

KAYLENE: Introuducing... Intimate wear

Hello to all my lovely plus size girls!

I finally have some time to do a quick blog post on something exciting thats going to happen in our shop soon! Yeah~ the header gave it away! We have pumped up our intimates stocks and is ready to launch these fabulous products!! A gentle reminder that these are not designed by KAYLENE and they are specially outsourced from USA. Now many girls asked me why I always source such products from the USA and the shipping is very expensive and things can be costly after converting the exchange rate. The reason is very simple. KAYLENE always tries her best to bring in the best product she can possibly find (we must be practical too. cant find a $200 bra to sell to you girls)


Just gotten email from USA that my parcels will be shipped out soon and expected to reach Singapore approx end March TOGETHER with our plus size vintage clothing!! Our Luvees (limited size) and our Julie France shapers will be in shop soon as well.

Today in my post, I want to tell you more about the bras. They are not in shop yet but I feel that it is important to know and respect the history this supplier has. From understanding their history you will know that the bras are designed for comfort and proper fit.

About the bras....

We are very pleased to be in partnership with Dora. L Inc. These bra has not only has patented material and also patented designs on selected designs. The company makes bras for various companies like Lane Bryant, Victoria Secret, The Avenue and more. They are no doubt one of the best in the industry considering they are in the business since 1991.

(some of the items they made for the Lane Bryant and Victoria Secret. Images are from Dorlinc.com)

During our trip in New York, I had the pleasure of meeting Dora and her team. Very sweet lady and she started telling me more about the bras and the experience she has over the years. Super duper lovely lady. It was from there we decided to do a business partnership with her and bringing in quality bras to the customers here in Singapore.

Now, many of you are asking what to expect on the bras that we have prepared for you. For this first and very important batch, we will only bring in the classics or what we classify as 'Need' bras and not 'Want' bras. A sneak of the bras we have carefully chosen (we got a couple of plus size girls to vote)

Fancy some T Shirt bra for you?

This bra has multi ways to wear. One of them is strapless

We are trying out this new venture and hence the quantity ordered is in limited quantities. As expected date of arrival will be some where in later March or early April. Hang in there girls! Finally good bras with good support that is coming soon!

I am Kayde and I am a plus size blogger

Hello girlies!
Been overwhelmed with working in the shop while colleague is on her well deserved break! Load of backlog and I am getting stressed out. BUT I will relax! and I will stay cool until she is back and I can get my work done!

As mentioned in KAYLENE fanpage, Hong Kong goodies has arrived safely in our shop over the weekend! It is very small batch though~ Suprisingly small batch~ But I know there are girls who wish to see the items and hence the sneaks of the items. The items are moving pretty well.. so do pop over when you are free. As the goodies are in really small batch this time, not all designs are in full size range. You can always wadsap me to find out more info on the items!

Okay, shant waste time! Photos right up!

KAYLENE: We are so blessed indeed!

Yup thats right! We have been very blessed to be featured in Style:Check In 3 last thursday on their 10th episode. The filming went well and all was good :) The final product showcased on Channel U was even better than expected! Thanks to the awsome crew who were very patient with me and guided me step by step on how to speak well in front of the camera.

Sometimes I think I am the luckiest girl in the world. About 2 years ago, I made a loud comment in front of my husband that I want KAYLENE to be showcased in a TV program that is catered for the fashionistas. Not long after, KAYLENE was approached by Mediacorp. This was not the only time where I openly put out to the universe that I want to get some things done. The other miraculous event was that KAYLENE was the first in Singapore to showcase her work in Full Figured Fashion Week 2013 in New York City. It was a great honor for me and team and I have learnt so much from them. It really opened up my eyes for the first time to see how big this industry is and how united and supportive they are to one another. So back to you lady, have you tried putting out to the universe and telling her your goal and dream? Try it, it works in a miraculous way and you will soon see the results before you even know it!

OKAY girls! For thos who missed the show last Thursday, you can go to the following link and view it. We are at the last 2nd segment!

http://video.xin.msn.com/watch/video/episode-10/2eff2z5d8

and some pictures for you!

Have fun ladies! I want to also thank Michelle, Candice and Janet for being such a sweetie during filming! Till we meet again!

 

Blog: Outfit Of the Day(s) - OOTD

Have been documenting outfits that I wore for work and out with friends. Some are already released in KAYLENE shop while some are from The Plus Mannequin. Have fun with the outfits and explore different possibilities!

T shirt is from The Plus Mannequin, the rest is from KAYLENE, shoe - Prada

T shirt is from The Plus Mannequin, the rest is from KAYLENE

T shirt is from The Plus Mannequin, the rest is from KAYLENE, shoes- Prada

All dressed up in KAYLENE, shoes - Heatwave

Dressed in KAYLENE Feb/Mar 2014 Series. Shoes - Bought in a little shop in Hong Kong

Dressed in a freebie top in goodie bag during FFFWeek'13, Bandage Skort from KAYLENE. Shoes - Bought in a little shop in Hong Kong

Kaylene Luxe Range Blouse, Necklace bought overseas

Kaylene Luxe Range Blouse, Necklace bought overseas, shoes from a little shop in Hong Kong

All Dressed up in KAYLENE (old stocks for the blouse. Love it so much I have it in various colours)

Have interesting OOTD wearing KAYLENE? Post in Instagram! @kayleneonline #kayleneonline and get a change to win $100 voucher!! What say you?